Reading Reflections #4: A Letter to UC Davis Administrators

In response to: “A Tale of Two Campuses: Berkeley and Davis respond to Occupy Movements” by Alan Markow

Dear UCD Administrators,

            In the spring of 1999, UC Berkeley students went on a 10-week strike against cuts to the ethnic studies program. Administrators responded with a ridiculous amount of force. The sent in the freaking National Guard! The situation reached a breaking point when 80 students were arrested for participating in a hunger strike. As a result, the entire community rallied in support. Ultimately, UC Berkeley administrators gave into most of the students demands. UC administrators should have learned that talking to the students, instead of using brute force, is a much more effective method to ending protests.

But you didn’t, in fact you backtracked. Just a few years later in 2011, UC Davis students were pepper sprayed during a protest against rising tuition. These were unarmed students voicing their concerns being attacked by the very people meant to protect them. Meanwhile, you ignored the students. For several weeks afterwards, students began talking even louder and culminating their efforts in an occupation of Dutton Hall. However, you responded with even more police. You didn't address a very serious issue affecting a large portion of their student body. You were more worried about the damages and costs to the building.

Let me tell you something, if you keep placing more importance on furniture than on your student body, you won’t have a student body for very long. You have been put into your positions to make sure we are, not only educated, but happy and safe as well. We’re not going to be very happy if you ignore our concerns. And we definitely won’t be safe if you think pepper spraying peaceful protesters is okay. If this continues it won’t just be a dozen protesters in the quad. It’ll be the entire student body of the UC system, the faculty and every self-respecting educator in the United States that you’ll have to deal with.

Look, we aren't asking for the stars in the sky. We just want you to listen to our concerns. UC Berkeley administrators did. You don’t want to look worse than them, do you?

Sincerely,

An Upset Student

Why would UCD administrators call in the police before talking to the students, especially given past instances like the UC Berkeley strikes of 1969 and 1999?

Linda Wei

Section A01